# std::ranges::view_interface

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< cpp‎ | ranges

Defined in header `<ranges>` |  |
template< class D > requires std::is_class_v<D> && std::same_as<D, std::remove_cv_t<D>> class view_interface; |  | (since C++20)

`std::ranges::view_interface` is a helper class template for defining a view interface.

`view_interface` is typically used with CRTP:

    class my_view : public std::ranges::view_interface<my_view>
    {
    public:
        auto begin() const { /*...*/ }
        auto end() const { /*...*/ }
        // empty() is provided if begin() returns a forward iterator
        // and end() returns a sentinel for it.
    };

### Member functions

empty | returns whether the derived view is empty. Provided if it satisfies `sized_range` or `forward_range`. (public member function)
cbegin (C++23) | returns a constant iterator to the beginning of the range. (public member function)
cend (C++23) | returns a sentinel for the constant iterator of the range. (public member function)
operator bool | returns whether the derived view is not empty. Provided if ranges::empty is applicable to it. (public member function)
data | gets the address of derived view's data. Provided if its iterator type satisfies `contiguous_iterator`. (public member function)
size | returns the number of elements in the derived view. Provided if it satisfies `forward_range` and its sentinel and iterator type satisfy `sized_sentinel_for`. (public member function)
front | returns the first element in the derived view. Provided if it satisfies `forward_range`. (public member function)
back | returns the last element in the derived view. Provided if it satisfies `bidirectional_range` and `common_range`. (public member function)
operator[] | returns the `n`th element in the derived view. Provided if it satisfies `random_access_range`. (public member function)

### Example

Run this code

    #include <iostream>
    #include <ranges>
    #include <vector>

    template<class T, class A>
    class VectorView : public std::ranges::view_interface<VectorView<T, A>>
    {
    public:
        VectorView() = default;

        VectorView(const std::vector<T, A>& vec) :
            m_begin(vec.cbegin()), m_end(vec.cend())
        {}

        auto begin() const { return m_begin; }

        auto end() const { return m_end; }

    private:
        typename std::vector<T, A>::const_iterator m_begin{}, m_end{};
    };

    int main()
    {
        std::vector<int> v = {1, 4, 9, 16};

        VectorView view_over_v{v};

        // We can iterate with begin() and end().
        for (int n : view_over_v)
            std::cout << n << ' ';
        std::cout << '\n';

        // We get operator[] for free when inheriting from view_interface
        // since we satisfy the random_access_range concept.
        for (std::ptrdiff_t i = 0; i != view_over_v.size(); ++i)
            std::cout << "v[" << i << "] = " << view_over_v[i] << '\n';
    }

Output:

    1 4 9 16
    v[0] = 1
    v[1] = 4
    v[2] = 9
    v[3] = 16

### Defect reports

The following behavior-changing defect reports were applied retroactively to previously published C++ standards.

DR | Applied to | Behavior as published | Correct behavior
--- | --- | --- | ---
LWG 3549 | C++20 | `view_interface` was required to be derived from `view_base`, which sometimes required multiple `view_base` subobjects in a view | inheritance removed

### See also

ranges::subrange (C++20) | combines an iterator-sentinel pair into a `view` (class template)

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